Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a general election for Thursday, July 4th, aiming to secure a fifth term for the Conservatives. The decision, revealed in a rain-soaked speech outside 10 Downing Street, surprised many who expected an autumn election that could have benefited the Tories by narrowing Labour’s poll lead.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer responded by declaring it was "time for change" from "Tory chaos," emphasizing that his party is prepared for the campaign. Labour has been leading in national polls and promises a robust campaign against the Conservative government.
Parliament will be suspended on Friday and formally shut down next Thursday, triggering a five-week election campaign. This abrupt timeline leaves only two days to pass remaining legislation, forcing the government to abandon some measures.
Rumors of the election began circulating early Wednesday after it was confirmed that annual inflation had dropped to its lowest in almost three years. As Prime Minister's Questions commenced, speculation about the announcement persisted until just after 17:00 BST, when Sunak confirmed the first July election since 1945.
In his announcement, Sunak highlighted the fall in inflation and the UK’s emergence from recession, framing his campaign around economic recovery and his administration’s success in managing rising living costs. However, the speech faced disruptions from worsening rain and activists playing New Labour's anthem "Things Can Only Get Better."
Confusion arose within the Conservative Party about the unexpected election date. Sunak's move follows a tumultuous period in British politics, marked by Boris Johnson’s 2019 snap election victory, the Covid pandemic, Johnson’s resignation amid scandal, and Liz Truss’s brief tenure ending after market backlash to her economic policies.
This is the first general election since 2015 not requiring a parliamentary vote to set the date, following the repeal of fixed-term election legislation two years ago.
